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Review
. 2021 Apr 21;9(5):886.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9050886.

Long Term Impact of Conjugate Vaccines on Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis: Narrative Review

Mary Paulina Elizabeth Slack  1
Affiliations
Review

Long Term Impact of Conjugate Vaccines on Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis: Narrative Review

Mary Paulina Elizabeth Slack. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

H. influenzae serotype b (Hib) used to be the commonest cause of bacterial meningitis in young children. The widespread use of Hib conjugate vaccine has profoundly altered the epidemiology of H. influenzae meningitis. This short review reports on the spectrum of H. influenzae meningitis thirty years after Hib conjugate vaccine was first introduced into a National Immunization Program (NIP). Hib meningitis is now uncommon, but meningitis caused by other capsulated serotypes of H. influenzae and non-typeable strains (NTHi) should be considered. H. influenzae serotype a (Hia) has emerged as a significant cause of meningitis in Indigenous children in North America, which may necessitate a Hia conjugate vaccine. Cases of Hie, Hif, and NTHi meningitis are predominantly seen in young children and less common in older age groups. This short review reports on the spectrum of H. influenzae meningitis thirty years after Hib conjugate vaccine was first introduced into a NIP.

Keywords: Haemophilus influenzae; Hia; Hib; NTHi; impact of Hib conjugate vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

MPES has received personal fees from GSK, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi Pasteur as a speaker at international meetings and as a member of advisory boards (unrelated to the submitted work).

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